Pickup engines, starting with Ford

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Back2PA

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Posts
5,766
Continuing the education, looking at Ford truck engines in the 2006-2012 era, 6.2L V8 gas, 6.8L V10 gas, 6.0L, 6.4L & 6.7L diesel. Any of these enough of a problem to avoid completely? Any years in here, for both trucks and engines, that are better for some reason than other years? Any years that were particularly anemic regarding towing and cargo weights?
Thx
 
grashley said:
For diesels, avoid the 6.0.  It can be made into a reliable motor, but it is easier to just avoid it.

Thanks Preacher. I'd seen comments here about that but really didn't pay attention since it didn't affect me. If I recall and as you say, the "fixes" make it a good motor - what are these fixes and how can it be determined that they have been done? (I'm hoping to get a newer truck that has either the 6.4 or 6.7, but if the "perfect" older one popped up that had been fixed might be a good deal)
 
I'm certainly not the expert on the 6.0 and 6.4 engines, but the process is called "bullet proofing" and in the scheme of things it's pretty expensive.....if I remember correctly in the 4-5 thousand dollar range.  Personally, I would look for a 2011 model and up....that's the first year of the 6.7 and it's been a very reliable engine so far.
 
xrated said:
Personally, I would look for a 2011 model and up....that's the first year of the 6.7 and it's been a very reliable engine so far.

Maybe. Budget. Based on what I'm seeing, probably in 6.4L territory. If it happens won't be till next Spring so depends on the market
 
You definitely should avoid the 6.4L for diesel.  As with the 6.0, it can be "bullet-proofed", but it's even more expensive to do than the 6.0L.  Lots of radiator issues (I had mine replaced), and other issues.  I also had turbo seals replaced on mine, and a few other issues.  I ended up trading it for a 2011 with the 6.7L  The very first 6.7L had some issues that were supposedly fixed in the later builds (after May of 2011 or so I think).  I have one of the later builds (mine was built June 2011).  I had a DEF sensor issue, fixed under warranty and a turbo cooler oil leak, also fixed under warranty.  Otherwise, regular maintenance (batteries, tires, etc.), but no other issues.  It has been a great truck and has pulled my 5th wheel all over Texas.  Well, east of I-35 anyway. 

I don't have any direct experience with the 6.8L or 6.2L gas engines, but they have both been very reliable overall.  I had an older 5.4L (2003) that was probably the best truck, no, best vehicle, I have ever owned.  125,000 miles and was never in to the dealer for anything.  I would probably still have it, but I needed something better for my 5th wheel. 

I would really recommend the 6.7L if you're pulling anything with weight.  It is super powerful, quiet, and really a good engine.  It does have issues like most newer diesels with all the EPA required crap.  But of the engines you are looking at, it is probably the best of them.

Hope this helps a little.
 
edjunior said:
Hope this helps a little.

Helps, but doesn't help the budget. So any pre-2011 Ford diesel is junk? Sheesh. Not enough of a car guy to be brand specific, just like the look and feel of the Fords. But maybe I should be looking harder at Chevy and Dodge - will be interesting to see what sort of comments I get there.

The chassis I'd be looking for is crew cab long bed SRW 4WD, doesn't appear to be a popular combo. If I can find a V10 with the right rear end it looks like they have pretty good capabilities
Thanks
 
I have a 2010 F250 Super Duty 4X4 with the V10 and a 4:30 rear end. Nice truck and pulls my 35ft fiver with no problem do not know it is there towing wise. That being said the gas mileage on the V10 is not great I get about 8 mpg towing and 11 not towing. When towing I try to stay below 65 MPH 60 to 65 gets the best MPG. For the money if you are on a budget I would get the V10, less initial cost and less maintenance cost over a diesel.
 
Sun2Retire said:
Helps, but doesn't help the budget. So any pre-2011 Ford diesel is junk? Sheesh. Not enough of a car guy to be brand specific, just like the look and feel of the Fords. But maybe I should be looking harder at Chevy and Dodge - will be interesting to see what sort of comments I get there.

The chassis I'd be looking for is crew cab long bed SRW 4WD, doesn't appear to be a popular combo. If I can find a V10 with the right rear end it looks like they have pretty good capabilities
Thanks

Pre 2004  7.3 Ford diesels were some of the best engines I have ever used.  There are documented instances of Govt 7.3s in AZ going a Million miles.  I bought mine in 2013 with 55K on it and never have had to do more than normal service on it.  It has 93K on it now.

Here it is.
 

Attachments

  • 002.JPG
    002.JPG
    136 KB · Views: 22
sc4668 said:
I have a 2010 F250 Super Duty 4X4 with the V10 and a 4:30 rear end. Nice truck and pulls my 35ft fiver with no problem do not know it is there towing wise. That being said the gas mileage on the V10 is not great I get about 8 mpg towing and 11 not towing. When towing I try to stay below 65 MPH 60 to 65 gets the best MPG. For the money if you are on a budget I would get the V10, less initial cost and less maintenance cost over a diesel.

Thanks. My initial thought was the V10 for all the reasons you mention. My truck will spend a lot of time being a daily driver and not towing. Based on wild guesses at mileage and my plans, I was guessing I might save $3-400/yr in fuel with a diesel, not enough I don't think to outweigh the other costs including purchase. The 4:30 seems to be harder to find, I think people were ordering the higher rear end thinking better mileage, makes a big difference on weight numbers. According to the towing guide you're good for around 16K so I'm guessing that easily covers your 35 footer, I'm looking in the 14-15ishK area, saw one 16K gross
 
Tom Hoffman said:
Pre 2004  7.3 Ford diesels were some of the best engines I have ever used.  There are documented instances of Govt 7.3s in AZ going a Million miles.  I bought mine in 2013 with 55K on it and never have had to do more than normal service on it.  It has 93K on it now.

Maybe I should look older, but I get queasy over 200K and many come in 300+
 
I never had a issue with my 2010 3.5L E-boost f-150. I have towed over 35,000 miles with it in the dessert, Rockies, Interstates and back roads.

I also never asked it to do what it was not designed to do. 
 
RGP said:
I never had a issue with my 2010 3.5L E-boost f-150. I have towed over 35,000 miles with it in the dessert, Rockies, Interstates and back roads.

Not looking at F-150s but checked 2010 Ford towing guide out of curiosity and that engine isn't even listed - very frustrating.
RGP said:
I also never asked it to do what it was not designed to do.

The very reason I'm asking all the questions
 
Sun2Retire said:
Not looking at F-150s but checked 2010 Ford towing guide out of curiosity and that engine isn't even listed - very frustrating.
The very reason I'm asking all the questions

I believe that 2011 was the first year for the 3.5 ecoboost engine in a F150.
 
Bullet Proofing doesn't always help eliminate the problems with the 6.0 Ford Diesel.  I have a good friend who continued having the same problems over and over after he was assured it was fixed and should not happen again.  He finally quit driving it.  It's sitting behind his house as we speak.
 
sc4668 said:
I have a 2010 F250 Super Duty 4X4 with the V10 and a 4:30 rear end. Nice truck and pulls my 35ft fiver with no problem do not know it is there towing wise. That being said the gas mileage on the V10 is not great I get about 8 mpg towing and 11 not towing. When towing I try to stay below 65 MPH 60 to 65 gets the best MPG. For the money if you are on a budget I would get the V10, less initial cost and less maintenance cost over a diesel.

:)). I just got rid of a 2015 Ford PSD and I wasn?t sad to see it go.
 
Agree on the Ford 6.0 diesel.  Our 2005 was in the shop quite a bit. 

If you go older, both the 6.0 and 7.3 were produced in 2003 so be careful if you look at a 2003.  It most likely is a 6.0.  The 7.3 was a great engine and if I could find one, and had a place to put it, I'd buy it.  My old boss had a 2006 Ford with the 6.0 and managed to get close to 300,000 out of the engine.  So, not all are bad news.  I've read that they had fewer problems over the years. 

 
The 7.3L is a beast; like the Energizer bunny, they just keep going and going and going. The drawback is that they are in older trucks that don't have the technology that newer trucks do; the suspension, for instance, is fairly primitive by today's standards, not smooth at all. It's a trade-off, as is everything. I love to drive my 85 Jimmy, but it is not anywhere near as comfortable as a newer one, or handle as well. My 06 6.0L has been great; no issues to speak of, but I've done some work on it, just in case. Doing it myself kept the cost down, and some work had already been done, so I'm only about $500 in so far.

At least here, in Texas, similar year Chevy's and Dodge's were more expensive; I'm going to guess that is at least in part because Ford really dominated the truck market for years (not a brand guy, either; my driveway hosts a GMC gasser, Ford diesel, along with a Hyundai and a Honda); availability may be playing a part in cost. For what it's worth, this was my general feel from my research: Dodge has the best engines, but the truck may fall apart around it; Chevy has the best transmission, but the build quality has been spotty at times; Ford has the best engine/transmission combo, but it's best to do some extra work on them to ensure long life...
 
Back
Top Bottom